Search Underway For Killer After Man's Body Found Near Riverside County Lake

MORENO VALLEY (CBSLA.com) — The family of a young father, whose body was discovered near a lake in Riverside County, is pleading for the public's help in the search for his killer.

The family of Justin Hilbert, 25, said he was shot, stabbed and beaten to death. His body was found on the side of the road west of Lake Mathews at about 2:15 a.m. on June 21.

The victim and his fiancé, Tonya Bischoff , had just welcomed their son, Logan, into the world six months ago. Now, she has to raise their child alone. "He meant everything to me. He was my soul mate," she said.

Bischoff said Hilbert was not only a new father, he had just started a new job as a machinist and was working hard to support her and their baby.

"Everybody loved him. I can't imagine who would have so much hatred to do something like that," she said. "It's heartbreaking. He's only six months old. He's never going to know his father. I want answers. I want to know who could have done this and why."

Bischoff's pain is complicated by the fact that her ex-husband, Jared Bischoff, was just charged with the murder of his 23-year-old girlfriend.

She was stabbed to death in Riverside Sunday.  Police said when they tried to arrest him in San Diego, he led them on a chase but was eventually arrested back in Riverside.

"I can tell you the reason we are no longer married is because he was getting progressively more violent."

When CBS2/KCAL9's Rachel Kim asked Bischoff whether she believes her ex-husband was involved in her fiancé's murder, she said "It does raise some questions and red flags. But at this time, the police have told us that there's no connection."

Hilbert's brother, Jesse Kirkendall, said he won't rest until his brother's killer is brought to justice.

"I believe that there's forgiveness, but I won't be one of them. I won't; I can't. What you did to my brother was uncalled for and I would ask the public to give you up," he said.